Studio 54 Style

Even if you are lucky enough to not be touched by it, you probably don’t need another pink-hued reminder that October is breast cancer awareness month. There are many groups across the country doing great work to raise awareness and funds for cancer research — check out the Princess Margaret Welcome Home Sweepstakes Showhome designed by Lynda Reeves and her team here at House & Home. Another one that stands out to me is Rethink Breast Cancer. Their annual Boobyball started as a party thrown by two girls wanting to cheer up their friend going through chemotherapy. Now in its ninth incarnation, it is one of the most successful fundraising events of the year. The theme of the October 16 party is the disco heyday of Studio 54, so in honour of the silver balls, bell-bottoms, glitter and flashing lights, here are a few picks inspired by the often overlooked era of 1970s design.

On display at the party will be the limited edition Studio 54 inspired photos taken by five different photographers for the 2010 Boobyball campaign, like the one above by Caitlin Cronenberg. It’s a great opportunity to invest in your art collection! If you are not in Toronto or didn’t get tickets the first day they went on sale (they go fast!), you can still bid on the other items in the online eBay auction from October 11 to November 1.

Speaking of art — in particular an artist that comes to mind when you mention Studio 54 — there was an Andy Warhol exhibit at London’s Sadie Coles HQ contemporary gallery in 2003 that showed his “private” drawings. The sketches are primarily portraits of unidentified men and show a very different side to the artist commonly known for his colourful pop art images of Marilyn Monroe and Campbell’s soup cans.

The Nate Berkus-designed living room of his boyfriend and shoe designer Brian Atwood’s apartment in Milan features ’70s pieces like this wood and chrome credenza, square cocktail table and a vintage Arredoluce floor lamp. The iconic fern-patterned Martinique wallpaper (the print is actually circa 1940s from the Beverly Hills Hotel) adds to the modern retro vibe.

One of Harlequin’s latest collections of wallpaper, Identity, includes this disco ball-like pattern called Perception. The light silvery colourway keeps it fresh and clean and not too psychedelic. Here are some more pieces to subtly add some of the ’70s to your space: